National Briefing | West: California: Peterson Jury To Remain

By Dean E. Murphy (NYT)

Published: November 23, 2004

The judge in the trial of Scott Peterson, who was convicted on Nov. 12 of killing his pregnant wife, Laci, turned down a request by Mr. Peterson's lawyers to have a new jury determine whether he should be sentenced to death. The judge, Alfred A. Delucchi, also ruled that the penalty phase would remain in Redwood City and begin on Nov. 30. Testimony was to begin on Monday but the judge granted another week for the lawyers to prepare. A lawyer for Mr. Peterson, Mark Geragos, had asked for a new jury and new location for the penalty phase because, he said, the jurors might be influenced by public sentiment in Redwood City against Mr. Peterson. Dean E. Murphy (NYT)